Chapter 33
In ancient times, people valued their roots, cherishing the sentiment of returning to one's roots. Most held the innate mindset of "poor people don't move, rich people don't move their graves." Even though the Yu family had only lived in Wangjia Village for three years, Ye Jia's suggestion of relocating the family was a knee-jerk reaction. People in this era often felt they had to put down roots wherever they settled. This was unlike someone like Ye Jia, who was accustomed to traveling the world.
However, Yu Shi also understood Ye Jia's concerns. Wangjia Village's geographical location was indeed not favorable. It was a day's journey from the garrison. Moreover, if something happened in the west, the villages under Libei Town would bear the brunt.
However, when it came to relocation, Ye Jia remembered something. Could an exiled person move away at will?
She thought about it and asked it out loud. This was something that others might not be able to understand, but Yu knew it.
In reality, most exiles received different treatments depending on the severity of their crimes. The more serious the crime, the farther away the exile area, and the worse the environmental, economic, and living conditions. Once they arrived at their place of exile, the prisoners were handled at the discretion of the local officials. For the most serious crimes, prisoners were sentenced to hard labor or military service; for less serious offenses, they were allowed to live freely in their place of exile.
The Zhou family's case was a serious crime, after all, they were accused of treason. However, as royal blood, the Zhou family held a glimmer of hope. Originally, Zhou Jingchen wouldn't have been forced into forced labor, and could have lived freely here, like Yu Ruijie and the other women of Prince Jing's palace. The problem was, someone in the upper echelons wanted to sever Prince Jing's lineage.
All the male heirs of Prince Jing's mansion died along the way, and Zhou Jingchen, the only son, was singled out and forced to do hard labor in the West Field to open up wasteland. If Zhou Jingchen had not been brutally beaten and crippled while doing so, and had not been thrown out by the West Field leader half-dead as if he were dead, he would never have left the West Field alive.
These are all irrelevant matters, so let's not talk about them. Let's just say one thing is certain: Yu and Rui Jie'er can move with Ye Jia.
"If we can move, good. If we can't, we'll have to find a way to leave." Ye Jia nodded. While logic dictated that the bandits, having just suffered a heavy loss, should rest and recuperate and not harass the village again for a while, Ye Jia felt the circumstances required a closer look. This particular attack was significantly different from the previous ones Yu had described. While they usually only robbed people, this time they massacred the entire village.
Ye Jia didn't know much about history, but he knew that people's hearts were unpredictable. Some people were domineering and petty, and when they suffered a great loss, they would rather break their legs and arms to get back at their loss.
She didn't know what these bandits were up to, but the tragedy in Yujia Village had alerted her to the fact that these bandits were inhumane.
Taking a deep breath, Ye Jia said firmly to Yu, "There's no room for negotiation on relocating our family, mother. These bandits are incredibly brutal, raping and looting to this extent... They're very likely to return for revenge."
Yu was still a little hesitant, but her words frightened her. Goose bumps quickly appeared on her arms.
She thought carefully about the bandits' behavior, which was indeed ruthless and frightening. "Jia Niang, what are you going to do? We have a lot of things here, and we can't move them all at once. Besides, there are so many leeks in the backyard... and your mother's family..."
Unlike the Zhou family, the Ye family was a prominent clan in Yejiazhuang, with roots planted here for generations. Convincing them to relocate wasn't easy, but Yu was right. With human lives at stake, the necessary reminders were still necessary. Since they were moving, the Ye family decided there was no rush to put their belongings back. They made the two beds first, then packed the rest into boxes and moved out the next day.
As for the business of Xishi’s stall, it can only be brought to Dongxiang Town.
"I'll go to Yejiazhuang when I'm free tomorrow." Ye Jia didn't really want to contact the Ye family, but she was content with her fate. As a common person, she felt obliged to remind them. Of course, whether the Ye family listened or not was none of her business. After all, her speculation was just speculation. Who could say for sure whether the bandits would retaliate?
Yu nodded worriedly and went back to her room to tidy up her bed and things.
The bandits rushed straight into the town, smashing their way from the west end of the city, and they were likely to kill or injure many people. With such a serious incident, not only was the town in chaos and unsuitable for movement, but the city itself couldn't even open normally.
Now in many villages, soldiers are going door to door to question people, and the scene has made people panic.
However, the butcher had promised Ye Jia the pig pancreas, and he did deliver it to her doorstep on the third day. The butcher was also lucky; he happened to be with some friends in Dongxiang Town collecting pigs that day, so he didn't return, thus avoiding the disaster. He returned to the town the next afternoon, and by the time he got back, the soldiers stationed there had already arrived. His home was far away, so nothing happened.
He came over with a big bag of pig pancreas, listened to Ye Jia asking about Dongxiang Town, and also told Ye Jia about the situation there.
"No news from this end has been delivered at all. Otherwise, I would have returned long ago. I wouldn't have left my wife and children in the town to worry and be frightened!"
The butcher's surname was Yue, a large man from the northwest. He was also familiar with Ye Jia, who usually took care of his business. He even gave Ye Jia a pig's trotter as a gift today. "The night this happened, I ran into Da Bing enjoying a banquet on East Street in Dongxiang Town. You wouldn't know, Dongxiang Town is so bustling with people doing business at night. Compared to here, it's a world of difference. Doing business there is definitely much better than here."
Ye Jia hurriedly paid him. Regardless of whether the pancreas could be made or not, he couldn't refuse the money since they had already agreed to a deal and sent it to him. He heard that he had asked a friend for four or five pig pancreases, so Ye Jia gave him a little more. It was not right to take the pig's trotter for free.
"Since Brother Yue also thinks Dongxiang Town is good, why don't you set up a stall there?"
Ye Jia also reminded him casually, "The situation in Libei Town is so dangerous. Those bandits yesterday looked unusual. Have bandits ever committed such murder and arson when they entered the village to rob and loot? The entire Yujia Village was wiped out. They were so vicious, I always feel that they will come back for revenge after being wronged."
Yue the Butcher's heart tightened at these words. He didn't know whether he had heard them or not. He collected the money and left.
Mrs. Yu emerged from the house, looking at the five fresh pig pancreases in a dilemma. Should she clean them or not? Her daughter-in-law had said that these pancreases were most effective when fresh and shouldn't be kept for long. Meat tends to go rancid more easily in hot weather.
Ye Jia was also worried. She had just discovered that she had the potential to be a miser. Even when the time came, she was still worried about wasting things. However, her thoughts were her own, and Ye Jia was still very clear-headed. "I wonder how Uncle Sun is doing. I haven't seen him come over in the past few days. Well, Mom, let's pack up first. If Uncle Sun doesn't come tomorrow, I'll go to town and find a car to take us away."
What this means is that the pig pancreas should be put aside for now, and they should hurry to pack their luggage.
Yu was used to obeying Ye Jia's way of doing things, so after hearing this, she took a sickle and cut the chives in the three plots in the backyard.
The two thought it would take a long time to pack, but the Zhou family didn't have much to pack. In less than half an hour, everything that needed to be packed was put away and everything that needed to be moved was moved out. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law sat in the main room with nothing to do. Ye Jia glanced at the two pitiful suitcases and even opened them to take a look. Even after packing in the things they didn't want, they still weren't full.
"Do we have so few things at home?" Ye Jia was speechless for a long time.
"Yeah." Yu also realized, "These are all the things that have been collected in the house."
The Zhou family had few possessions, primarily due to poverty. In the past, they had nothing but two tattered clothes. Later, they had a small stash of money, but the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were so busy every day that they had no time to work on it. At this point, apart from a cash box, a few large pots, a small food stall for their business, hoes, and kitchen knives, the two adults and one child had only one set of clothes on their backs and one set in their belongings.
Her clothes were tattered. The best clothes Ye Jia had were the ones Yu had made for her. She had pawned the original owner's jewelry. She did have several quilts and mattresses, but Ye Jia took a look and told Yu not to bring any: "They're so worn out they won't keep you warm. You'll just throw them away if you take them."
"It's better to take it with you. We can even give you some shelter there." Yu Shi now knows that life is hard and is frugal. "There's always room for the boxes."
Ye Jia thought: "...That's true."
After all the calculations, the most valuable thing turned out to be the well in the yard. He wasn't going to take any old clothes with him; it was essential to get rid of broken things. "We don't have much to pack at home, so these will fit in one truck."
The two sat in the house for a while. With nothing to do, Ye Jia looked at the pig pancreas soaked in the basin and decided to clean it up.
This thing was the most valuable item in the entire Zhou family. Including the bath beans and dried flowers, it cost over three taels of silver. If it really stinked in the hot weather, she would be heartbroken. As the saying goes, one doesn't know how expensive food and clothing are until they're in charge of a household. It's shameful to waste good things until you've experienced poverty. She simply couldn't bear to see something worth three taels of silver go to waste.
While waiting for Old Man Sun to arrive, Ye Jia and Yu simply washed their hands and cleaned up the pig pancreases.
Cleaning pig pancreas is very particular, after all, it is the pancreatic secretions in the pig pancreas that work.
Yu didn't know much about secretions, but after hearing what Ye Jia said, she vaguely understood that it was the sticky coating on the pig pancreas that was responsible. Last time, they'd spent half an afternoon working on one pancreas, but this time, with five pancreases, it would take them a whole day. Ye Jia was considering calling over Old Lady Wang from next door, when Old Man Sun arrived in his car.
Yu had already ground the bath beans a few days earlier. She would grind them whenever she had free time. She had ground a large bag of fine powder from the bath beans and soapberries and kept it in the house. She was currently grinding dried flowers in the yard.
He was accompanied by the Sun family's eldest grandson, Shuanzi. His nickname was Shuanzi, and his full name was Sun Jun. As soon as he got out of the car, the child came over to help with the load. He was young, yet so well-behaved that it was heartbreaking.
Rui Jie'er woke up from her nap and called out "Auntie" obediently. She took her small stool and sat next to the two adults.
She was young but very sensible. Seeing her grandmother grinding, she also took a small bowl and ground the dried flowers into powder.
A fragrant aroma filled the courtyard. The Sun family's grandparents entered and immediately told each other about their recent busy schedule. Ye Jia had already guessed that something must be going on at home; otherwise, given Old Man Sun's temperament, he wouldn't have delayed so long. He nodded and told the two to hurry over.
Old Man Sun was from Linzhen. Not Dongxiang Town, but a town beneath Libei Town, even poorer than Libei. Because his village was closer to Libei, Old Man Sun came to Libei to run a pick-up and drop-off business. His village wasn't severely affected, but his wife was frightened by some fleeing bandits. She was already in poor health and nearly died.
Old Man Sun hired a doctor to take care of him for a few days, and his wife finally recovered after stumbling. As soon as she recovered, she urged Old Man Sun to come over, fearing that her illness would delay her from earning money for the family. Life was hard like this, and being sick was considered a sin.
"Is the boss going to start making scented soap?" Old man Sun came over and saw that many villages were still bustling with activity.
Soldiers were dispatched from the garrison, visiting every household to inquire about the situation on the day the bandits attacked the village. A large crowd had gathered at the entrance of Wangjia Village, clamoring furiously. The Zhou family, however, remained calm and unfazed.
Ye Jia had almost prepared the ingredients. When he asked Old Man Sun to come and sit down, he went to the kitchen and brought back a basin of wood ash.
With Old Man Sun's help, making the fragrant pancreas was much easier. Many of the ingredients were already prepared, leaving only the basics to be done. He made room for Old Man Sun and handed him a mallet. Don't be fooled by Old Man Sun's thin, bony appearance; he was incredibly strong. With one blow, he could pulverize the pieces of pig pancreas. His movements were quick and steady, leaving very little debris.
Ye Jia watched, adding things one by one when he saw they were almost done. Old Man Sun didn't ask any other questions, just focused on grinding.
Last time, I had to learn by trial and error, which naturally took quite a while. This time, with experience, practice makes perfect. Plus, with the help of a strong man, I was able to grind all five pig pancreases in just one afternoon.
The last step is naturally simpler, just shape it into shape.
Ye Jia, worried about the poor appearance of his handmade soap, secretly went to a carpenter to make a hundred or so carved wooden boxes. Yu was about to start making them, but she stopped him. She went back to the house, retrieved the palm-sized square wooden boxes, and used a spoon to scoop the soap into the boxes. This box was specially made by Ye Jia, modeled after the handmade soaps of later generations. If he made a mold, it would look very nice.
"Put the paste inside this box, spread it up to the mark and seal the box."
The paste sticks very well when it's wet, and it's hard to remove from the wooden box unless it's completely dry. Ye Jia demonstrated, frowning. Fortunately, there weren't many items, or there wouldn't be enough boxes.
Mrs. Yu looked at the exquisite box and nodded, saying, "It can be placed in a wooden box. It can also be carried away in a cloth bag even if it gets wet."
"That's natural." Ye Jia thought so too.
The work was supposed to be a day's work, but they were so anxious that they didn't finish until after dark. In the yard, pots, pans, and wooden spoons piled up in a pile. Ye Jia looked up and saw that it was already dusk. Ever since she heard about the bandits who had entered the village and killed people, Ye Jia hadn't dared to go out at night. This incident had given her a strong warning: the unrest in Libei Town was not just talk; it could actually cost lives.
She stood up with a pile of soap boxes in her arms, ready to move into the house. Suddenly, she felt dizzy and almost fell down.
Yu was startled and quickly reached out to help her.
Ye Jia shook her head and sighed. Even in ancient times, she still suffered from hypoglycemia. She stood up and took a moment to recover. Once the dizziness subsided, she carried the wooden box into the house.
Yu watched her go into the house, then looked down at the edges of the bowls and basins, where some of the fragrant soap paste still lingered. She lovingly scraped it off with a small knife, pushing it into the bowls as she scraped, unexpectedly creating small pieces of it.
The Sun family's grandparents washed their hands and, seeing that it was getting late, prepared to leave.
Mrs. Yu quickly stopped him and said, "Didn't we agree that one day's work would include two meals? Is there something going on at home that's worrying Brother Sun?"
"Not really, we just came late today." It was agreed that they would provide lunch in the morning, but Old Man Sun was shy. The two of them only came at noon and had only worked for half a day, so he felt embarrassed to offer them lunch.
He was about to speak when Ye Jia took out his wages and spoke: "We agreed on the meal and it can't be changed. Besides, it's so late, it will be difficult for you to go back and prepare it. The vegetables have been bought at home a long time ago. Uncle Sun, just go inside and have some mung bean soup and wait. I'll go to the kitchen and it will be ready in a short while. If you are worried that Aunt Sun has nothing to eat, I will pack some food and bring it back to you later."
After saying that, he turned around and went to the kitchen without paying any attention to Old Man Sun.
Old man Sun looked at the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law and realized that they were sincere and didn't want to lie, so he shamelessly stayed with his eldest grandson.
The sky was already dark, the night was falling, and the stars were dotted. As the sun set, the temperature on the kang dropped significantly. Ye Jia gathered what was left in the kitchen and thought about what to make for dinner.
A large pig's trotter was sent by Yue the butcher, which can be used to make a meat dish. The leeks from the three plots in the backyard cannot be taken away, so I use some white flour to make leek pancakes.
Thinking about it, Ye Jia always felt that two things were not enough. Although providing meals didn't mean treating guests to fine wine and food, Old Man Sun worked hard, and Ye Jia didn't want to treat him unfairly. Thinking that there were no vegetables to buy in the market now, not only was the tile market closed, but the shops in the town were also closed. Ye Jia walked around the yard and fixed his eyes on the four chickens.
There was no other way. The whole family had to move. It was okay to take the two sheep with them tied up, but it was difficult to take these four chickens with them.
Ye Jia thought she could raise more chickens in her new place, and then she could kill these four chickens. Most importantly, she hadn't eaten chicken in almost six months, and she was craving it. Her mouth watered at the thought of big plate chicken, roast chicken, fried chicken ribs, and fried chicken.
Rui Jie'er was bored staying in the house, so she ran out and saw her beloved aunt standing in front of the chicken coop with a knife in her hand, her eyes glowing green, and her little body shivering behind the door.
Ye Jia walked around the chicken coop and suddenly faced a dilemma: he wanted to eat the chicken, but he didn't dare to kill it.
Ye Jia: "..." She didn't want to either. The few times she had eaten meat here, the fish were all killed by Zhou Jingchen. She didn't know where to start killing the chicken.
He stood there for a long time, then turned around and called Yu.
Yu came over to see the chickens fluttering around in the coop, but they were also silent. Coincidentally, she didn't dare to kill them either.
Yu: “…”
After a long silence, Ye Jia made up her mind: "Kill him." People always have to grow up. In this poor and remote place, if they really don't dare to kill even a chicken, will she dare to pick up a knife and chop people in the future? If she is unlucky enough to run into bandits, won't she dare to wield a kitchen knife?
After giving herself hints again and again in her mind, Ye Jiayi gritted her teeth and opened the door of the chicken coop. Suddenly, a chicken kicked her in the face with its claws fiercely.
Ye Jia: “…”
...Her beautiful face!
Ye Jia, in a rage, swung the kitchen knife wildly in the air. The chicken, startled by the flash of the knife, clucked and pecked at it. Ye Jia's jet-black hair was tangled up by the chicken's claws.
Her anger immediately rushed to the top of her head, and she brandished the knife fiercely and said: "Today it's either you die or I die!"
Just as he finished speaking, a very low and light laugh came from the darkness.
The sound was so soft that if you didn't pay attention you would mistake it for the wind, but Ye Jia didn't notice. She grabbed the chicken with one hand, and the hen's clipped wings grew back. The wings fluttered, and it suddenly took off into the air. Then it kicked Ye Jia on the head, and it flew out of the fence with a cluck. Ye Jia hurriedly chased after it, brandishing her knife as she chased: "Hey, hey, hey, my chicken!"
I chased the flying chicken to the edge of the yard and found a dark shadow standing outside the yard.
The man's shoulders were draped in moonlight, his figure tall and slender. His black hair fluttered in the wind, and the moonlight cast a bright white halo on his profile. His eyes were full of light.
Ye Jia was stunned, and then he saw a small dark figure in his house jump up and rush out.
The two men were separated by the yard. The little figure let out a howl and bit the man's trouser leg.
The man raised his hand without moving, easily catching the flying hen. He stood outside the yard, his voice ethereal in the night wind: "Jia Niang, what are you doing?"
"Kill the chicken..."
Before Ye Jia could say anything, Yu Shi, who was standing next to him, got excited as soon as she saw who was coming: "Yun An, Yun An, why are you back!"
"We've received news that Libei Town was attacked by bandits, resulting in heavy casualties. This is a serious matter."
The chicken in Zhou Jingchen's hand was still thrashing around, and he was still biting the dot hanging on his trouser leg ferociously. He slowly pushed open the door to the yard and walked in. "Is everything okay at home?"
Ye Jia didn't expect Zhou Jingchen to come back.
Blinking her eyes, she stood aside and muttered to herself: Is being a soldier so free these days?
I was feeling strange, but I nodded: "... Fortunately, it was a close call."
Zhou Jingchen's eyes slowly fell on her and Yu, and he nodded after confirming that they were both fine.
Mrs. Yu hadn't seen her son for a long time, and her eyes were red. She came over and asked about his well-being. Old Man Sun heard the noise and came out. He saw Zhou Jingchen in the yard. He walked over and greeted Zhou Jingchen from a distance. Zhou Jingchen nodded, and with a slight twist of his slender fingers, he broke the chicken's neck.
Yu was rarely talkative and kept talking.
Zhou Jingchen was wearing leather armor and had a knife hanging on his waist. He listened attentively to Yu's description of the thrilling situation that day.
She hadn't shown it in front of Ye Jia, but she'd been feeling apprehensive for the past few days. With her son back, she felt reassured, letting her fears show. Zhou Jingchen listened, glancing a few times as Ye Jia bled a dead chicken by the well. It was rare for him to be back from the outside, so why didn't Jia Niang show any more affection? Was she just so cold?
He glanced over there, but whispered something to comfort his frightened mother.
Ye Jiake didn't bother to guess what he was thinking. Her mind was full of fried chicken, roasted chicken, and big plate chicken. If there were peppers available, she would have wanted to eat spicy diced chicken.
…
The lower-level soldiers were not allowed to leave the barracks without orders. Zhou Jingchen had naturally put a lot of thought into returning to Libei Town this time.
Actually, there are some twists and turns here that are not meant to be shared with outsiders. The news of the attack on Libei Town reached the garrison the next day. The garrison captain, who was digging in the mountains to the north with a group of men, didn't take the news too seriously.
Later, news spread that the bandits had invaded the village, resulting in the deaths of 167 people in Jia Village. The attack on Li Beizhen was finally taken seriously. However, despite the severity of the situation, the higher authorities did not immediately dispatch troops. Instead, the incident led to a conflict with Captain Niu of the western camp. The two men blamed each other for the loss of 167 lives in Yu Jia Village, neither willing to admit negligence.
Speaking of this, we have to talk about the military defense here.
In reality, Dongxiang Town actually had two garrisons. One was located in the northern suburbs, where Zhou Jingchen enlisted. This was known as the North Camp. The other, located at the border of Libei Town and Dongxiang Town, was located between the two towns for the convenience of deploying troops. This was known as the West Camp. These two locations were each commanded by two lieutenants. The North Camp's lieutenant's surname was Shen, and the West Camp's was Niu.
The two men served under the same general, Yang, and were originally of the same rank. However, since both were assigned to defend the northwestern border, and their responsibilities were unclear, they often shirked responsibility and ignored each other's actions. If the bandits had not been repelled by the Cheng family, and word had been received from their superiors that they would send troops to investigate, both men, fearing responsibility, would have hurriedly sent troops to investigate, attempting to shift the blame to the other. It's likely he wouldn't have returned to Libei Town by today.
This is also the reason why so many soldiers came to the village to investigate in the past two days.
It's not convenient to talk about what happened here. Zhou Jingchen solemnly thanked Old Man Sun for his help to his two women. Thanks to him, they were able to escape from the town in time during the chaos.
"No, no, at that time, the things had already been loaded into the car. I was just sending people back to the village as usual." Old Man Sun waved his hands and said, "It's my duty." "Besides, I have received many favors from the Zhou family on a daily basis. This is what I should do."
The two sides exchanged a few polite words and then went into the house.
Old Man Sun hunched over, his manner of addressing Zhou Jingchen rather humbly. For some reason, the Zhou family kid gave Old Man Sun a sense of oppression, a feeling of dread. Even though he had met him many times, he always acted very reserved in front of Zhou Jingchen.
Zhou Jingchen seemed to notice his embarrassment and was about to ask Old Man Sun to go back to the house and sit down. Suddenly, a voice came from the well: "Husband, where are you going?"
Zhou Jingchen turned his head: "Huh?"
"Come here." Ye Jia threw the dead chicken into the basin and waved at him.
Zhou Jingchen was stunned for a moment, then walked over obediently.
Ye Jia's gaze slowly moved down, casually landing on his trouser legs, and then one of his eyebrows raised.
Zhou Jingchen followed her gaze downwards, where the little creature was still nibbling at his trouser leg. It was twisting so hard that Ye Jia was afraid it might break its neck. Suddenly, the corners of her mouth curled up, a slightly mischievous smile forming: "Where are you planning to take our son?"
Zhou Jingchen: “…”
…our son. It's been a while since I've heard those three words. Hearing them again still sends a shiver down my spine.
The little guy's face was full of ferocity, but his teeth weren't sharp enough to bite through his pants. He let out a threatening whine from his throat. Even though he was still young, the ferocity in his bones was unwavering: "Awooo awooo~"
Zhou Jingchen bent down slightly and pinched a piece of flesh on the back of Diandian's neck with two fingers. The little guy who was biting his trouser leg frantically was forced to let go. Zhou Jingchen picked up the little thing and put it aside. He smiled: "Not bad, you raised this little thing well..."
Before he could finish his words, the little creature rushed over again with a whoosh, biting his other trouser leg and tearing it apart. Zhou Jingchen: "...violent?"
After a long time, Diandian has forgotten Zhou Jingchen's smell.
"It can't be helped. If it's not a bit aggressive, it won't be able to protect me and Mom if we run into any bad guys again." Ye Jia walked over and picked up the little guy and held him in her arms. The little guy immediately calmed down a lot after smelling Ye Jia's scent. But as he lay in Ye Jia's arms, his eyes staring at Zhou Jingchen were still ready to attack. The ferocious little look on his face seemed to want to bite the neck of the stranger who suddenly broke into his house.
"Am I a bad guy?"
He suddenly said this, and Ye Jia laughed unexpectedly: "Isn't it?"
Zhou Jingchen looked down at his 'son' whimpering and baring his teeth in Ye Jia's arms, feeling both amused and inexplicably suffocated. After a pause, he couldn't help but mutter, "...I'm your father, you stupid dog!"
Ye Jia: “…”
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